Olivia’s Moms

O: Can we go see dinosaurs at the zoo?

Me: No honey, all the dinosaurs died. When all of one kind of animal dies, it is called extinct and there aren’t any more.

O: They smelled something really bad and it made them all die?

Olivia and I were free and crazy girls, while mama enjoyed the UkeLady uke Happy Hour. So… We had a two hour play session at a McDonald’s play land. Hey, it’s 40F out and she needed an indoor play area, don’t judge!

So, she immediately met up with two very cute sisters, Mikaela and Mackenzie, 4 and 6, and all were soon happily playing. Their parents were in the main area keeping an eye on them

Next thing I know, O and the two Ms are gathered around our table as O eats. Then two small grubby boys with no apparent parents show up. The smallest is practically in my lap, flying his toy in my face, trying to hug me. No parent.

The two Ms tell me they have three older siblings, oldest is 19, and that their dad says his most important job is taking care of them. It showed. They were delightful. Protocol check — is it too stalkerish to ask for their parents’ number so you can “pick up” kids for friends? Oh well. I didn’t.

Two older girls, probably around 8 or so, come in and they are a mess. Climbing on the outside of the play area. Playing in the bathroom with water. Grabbing toys from smaller kids. Parents no where to be seen.

At one point it’s me and about 8 kids all at a table.

Finally another mom with two kids, a girl Amaya with gorgeous curly dark hair and a little brother, join the area. O and Amaya and Mikaela are soon running around like best friends. The mom and I chat about where on earth the parents are for these other kids, and how the older girls are doing a lot of cussing and pushing around.

Still the grubby toddler boy is all over me, except now he is occasionally going to the door and crying. Still absolutely no one looking after him.

Honestly, I could have snatched that little boy at any point. Finally two women show up and sit outside the play area and start yelling and cussing… They are the moms for all of the little parent less urchins that have been running unsupervised and wreaking havoc. I think the kids had figured out that mom did NOT think that taking care of them was Job one.

Sad. But O and I had a great time, then we went to Marble Slab where she had strawberry pink ice cream and kit kats. She thought mixing ice cream was such a cool job that she wanted to save her ice cream so she could show Mama and share it with her.

Wow, long time no write.

Last night we were watching Sing Off (we are way behind, no spoilers please), and Olivia did what she always wants to do when music comes on… Strips down to panties, throws on a tutu, and performs her own interpretive dance.

I’m always amazed by how on track, style-wise, these dances are to the particular genre of music.

So why am I surprised when her dance to Pentatonix’s rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” was right at the R-rated level? She was definitely feeling the vibe of the music. Where does she GET that stuff???

This morning I dropped Dawn off at the Oak Lawn Methodist Church where Resounding Harmony was going to sing. Olivia and I went on to La Madeleine for breakfast.

Had a great time. We talked and talked. Played with a cute little baby boy some other customers had.

Then a 50-something man dressed in understated but obviously pricey clothes and his daughter, probably 15, sat nearby. Both of them reeked of Highland Park snobby money (HP is an uber-wealthy and snotty town inside Dallas).

They sat through the entire meal elegantly eating their breakfast and staring over each others shoulders and did not ever exchange one word or glance.

O and I continued to talk and enjoy each others company. At one point I caught Miss Young FancyPants look over with a quite mature little longing at our fun.

I don’t get people who have kids and don’t want them. I have too many friends who desperately wanted kids. It made me incredibly sad, and grateful for my little OG.

So, we’re sitting there eating breakfast, and Olivia pauses for a second, and then says, “you know… bees pollinate.  Bees pollinate flowers and make things grow.”

We gazed at each other in amazement. Wow. She’s brilliant. Amazing child!

We return to our cereal.  There’s a bit of a pause, and then Olivia says, “you know… cheerios pollinate.”

Oh.

I have to admit this is not exactly what I anticipated.

Tonight was a typical family night. We ate dinner together and then we played O’s new Eric Carle game, the “I Can Do It” stuff.

Then we visited with neighbor Jan, which was capped off by O changing into her “ballerina slippers,” the fancy sparkly dress shoes she has obliterated by toe-kicking everything, and her green tutu. Lovely dancing was had by all.

At bedtime, I was trying to get her ready while fighting through a hot flash (there’s a reason God didn’t intend menopausal women to have toddlers), and Dawn said, change clothes, she can potty by herself.

Well… Yes and no. We heard splashing, and Dawn made it to the bathroom in time to see O fish a roll of toilet paper from the toilet and then suck on the water from it. Ewwwwwwww…

I did the only thing I could think of. I watered down some listerine, demonstrated proper gargling technique, and got her to gargle some. Hopefully that caught some of the germs.

Wow, I have neglected this blog! But I haven’t neglected the girl so that’s a relief.

My birthday was Friday and the best gift was having little O wish me a happy birthday when she firs opened her eyes that morning. Very cool.

O picked out this cake for me. It is a box of movie popcorn. Solid frosting on top but surprisingly tasty.

Olivia has her babies’ clothes in the pack on her back, and toys in the front pack, ready to go on a trip to visit Bebe

No not a bike, a piano!